LRB-0928/2
JTK:lmk:jf
2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
March 12, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Bies, Gunderson, Hines, Pocan,
Van Roy and Vos, cosponsored by Senators A. Lasee and Olsen. Referred to
Committee on Elections and Constitutional Law.
AB155,1,3
1An Act to amend 11.21 (16) and 11.20 (4); and
to create 11.12 (5m) and 11.20
2(8) (bm) and (cm) of the statutes;
relating to: filing requirements for
3candidates for partisan state office under the campaign finance law.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, with limited exemptions, registrants under the campaign finance
law must file continuing campaign finance reports on a semiannual basis. In
addition, registrants may be subject to other filing requirements if they engage in
financial activity with respect to an election.
This bill provides that each candidate for a partisan state office or the
candidate's personal campaign committee must file an additional continuing report
in April and October of each odd-numbered year and in April of each even-numbered
year unless exempted from the filing requirement under current law. Under the bill,
the Elections Board (Government Accountability Board sometime on or after
September 1, 2007) may require the new reports to be filed electronically.
Currently, if a candidate for state office or a committee or individual receives
cumulative contributions of $500 or more after the closing date for submittal of the
preelection campaign finance report filed by the candidate, committee, or individual,
the candidate, committee, or individual must report to the Elections Board, within
24 hours of receipt, the information pertaining to the contributions that would
otherwise be reported. This bill extends this reporting requirement to apply to any
contribution of $500 or more that is received by a candidate for partisan state office
or his or her personal campaign committee but requires the report to be filed in cases
not covered by current law within 15 days of receipt.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB155, s. 1
1Section
1. 11.12 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB155,2,82
11.12
(5m) If any contribution of $500 or more is received by a candidate for
3a partisan state office or his or her personal campaign committee from a single
4contributor and the contribution is not reported under sub. (5), the candidate's
5campaign treasurer shall within 15 days of receipt inform the board of the
6information concerning the contribution required under s. 11.06 (1) in such manner
7as the board may prescribe. The information shall also be included in the treasurer's
8next regular report.
AB155, s. 2
9Section
2. 11.20 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB155,3,210
11.20
(4) Continuing reports under s. 11.06 (1) by committees or individuals
11supporting or opposing candidates for office, including committees of a political
12party, and by individuals, groups or corporations supporting or opposing a
13referendum shall be received by the appropriate filing officer no earlier than January
141 and no later than January 31; and no earlier than July 1 and no later than July 20.
15In addition, continuing reports under s. 11.06 (1) by candidates for partisan state
16office or their personal campaign committees shall be received by the appropriate
17filing officer no earlier than April 1 and no later than April 20, and no earlier than
18October 1 and no later than October 20 in each odd-numbered year; and no earlier
19than April 1 and no later than April 20 in each even-numbered year. Individuals,
20committees, groups and corporations to which s. 11.055 (1) applies shall pay the fee
1imposed under that subsection with their continuing reports filed in January of each
2year.
AB155, s. 3
3Section
3. 11.20 (8) (bm) and (cm) of the statutes are created to read:
AB155,3,54
11.20
(8) (bm) March 31 in the case of the continuing report required by April
520.
AB155,3,66
(cm) September 30 in the case of the continuing report required by October 20.
AB155, s. 4
7Section
4. 11.21 (16) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB155,4,78
11.21
(16) Require each registrant for whom the board serves as filing officer
9and who or which accepts contributions in a total amount or value of $20,000 or more
10during a campaign period to file each campaign finance report that is required to be
11filed under this chapter in an electronic format, and accept from any other registrant
12for whom the board serves as a filing officer any campaign finance report that is
13required to be filed under this chapter in an electronic format.
The board may also
14require any registrant who or which is required to file a continuing report that is due
15by April 20 or October 20 to file the report electronically. A registrant who or which
16becomes subject to a requirement to file reports in an electronic format under this
17subsection shall initially file the registrant's report in an electronic format for the
18period which includes the date on which the registrant becomes subject to the
19requirement. To facilitate implementation of this subsection, the board shall specify,
20by rule, a type of software that is suitable for compliance with the electronic filing
21requirement under this subsection. The board shall provide copies of the software
22to registrants at a price fixed by the board that may not exceed cost. Each registrant
23who or which files a report under this subsection in an electronic format shall also
24file a copy of the report with the board that is recorded on a medium specified by the
25board. The copy shall be signed by an authorized individual and filed with the board
1by each registrant no later than the time prescribed for filing of the report under this
2chapter. The board shall provide complete instructions to any registrant who or
3which files a report under this subsection. In this subsection, the "campaign period"
4of a candidate, personal campaign committee or support committee begins and ends
5with the "campaign" of the candidate whose candidacy is supported, as defined in s.
611.26 (17), and the "campaign period" of any other registrant begins on January 1 of
7each odd-numbered year and ends on December 31 of the following year.
AB155,4,109
(1) This act first applies with respect to the filing of reports for reporting periods
10that begin on or after the effective date of this subsection.
